


Christmas Snow and Miracles A Glow

by TinkerBella



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 08:19:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8883655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinkerBella/pseuds/TinkerBella
Summary: So watching Scissors and the TRUST thing and the family thing and Mac being Jack's cheerleader to Riley, just reminded me again of how awesome the BROMANCE is.  But from the beginning I've always felt it was even more than that and this ep proved it to me in so many little ways.  So here is a bit of Christmas and Mac and Jack warm fuzzies.   ENJOY!





	

After the - Riley hacking the NSA - China - submarine - missile averted - debacle, Mac found himself still pondering over what Jack had said about the importance of trust. He had time to sort it out, seeing as how Bozer had invited Riley and her mom to see the Christmas lights throughout the neighborhood.

 

"Penny for your thoughts, bro."

 

MacGyver was startled out of his reverie by the man himself. "Hey, Jack." He accepted the beer held out to him and said, "You have heard about inflation, right?"

 

Jack chuckled. "Quarter then." He moved to sit next to Mac and they both watched the fire in the fire pit, which contrasted with the fake snow the kid had created so Riley could have a 'white christmas'. "By the way, that was a nice thing you did with the snow. Riley loved it."

 

"I'm glad." Mac was glad, he liked doing what he could to make his friends happy. "So, you and Riley seemed to have worked things out?" He posed it more as a question than a statement.

 

"I think we did," Jack allowed, knowing that Mac had kind of nudged things along. "I believe I have you to thank for it."

 

MacGyver shrugged. "It wasn't exactly intentional, but I'm glad it worked out. You and her mom looked pretty cozy earlier."

 

Jack could not keep a grin off his face. "It was nice, and now that she knows the truth...maybe we can bring things back around. She knows she can trust me this time."

 

"It's all about the trust," Mac echoed.

 

"That it is." Jack took a swig of beer then sighed in contentment. "That's why you and I work so well together. I trust you to be there for me and you trust me right back."

 

MacGyver couldn't deny that one. From the moment he'd met Jack, even though it hadn't been smooth sailing exactly at first, instinctively he had known he could trust him. "Makes life easier, doesn't it?"

 

Jack could not agree more. "That it does. You know, you didn't answer my question. What's going on in that ginormous brain of yours that's got you sitting out here all reflective and pondering."

 

"Wow...you're pulling out all the big words," MacGyver teased, hoping to distract his friend.

 

"Don't change the subject," Jack countered, totally knowing what MacGyver was doing. "What's going on, bud?"

 

MacGyver wasn't sure how to answer him. "I don't know, exactly. Now that Bozer knows the truth, and you and Riley are finally working through your issues ..things have changed."

 

Jack frowned at his friend, trying to understand what he was saying. "Seems like that have, but for the good. And that's a good thing, isn't it?"

 

"Yeah...no, it is a good thing," Mac was quick to confirm, even as he struggled with how to explain. "You, me and Bozer always have a good Christmas...but this time, even though it wasn't even on Christmas, it felt different. More like a real family."

 

"That's because we are a real family, Mac." Jack put his beer down and turned to face his friend. "Listen, you know that me watching your back is not about the job. It stopped being just about the job a long time ago. You are my family, and I would die for you, bro."

 

Mac did know that. "I'd do the same for you."

 

Jack sighed. "That I know, and it scares the hell out of me sometimes." He shook a finger at MacGyver. "You don't always make it easy for to keep you safe."

 

"Our job doesn't make it easy for any of us to be safe," MacGyver countered, trying to stall again. He took a swig of beer then focused on the bottle, fingernail scratching at the label in an attempt to peel it off.

 

"That aspect of our job kinda makes us look at things different," Jack replied. There was something he'd been wanting to say to Mac for a while, and maybe now was the time. "We don't always know if we're gonna come home from a mission, so it's all about living each day as it comes. But sometimes we forget that so we put things off and or let things slide. We figure we can deal with it later. Kinda like me telling you not to let another day go by without getting in touch with your dad. Speaking of which, did you ever mail that letter?"

 

MacGyver winced, then shrugged, then confessed. "It's...um...I didn't finish writing it yet." He glanced over at Jack and shook his head at the *look* he was getting. "I'll work on it...promise." And he would, eventually. Maybe. For now he continued focusing his attention on trying to peel off the beer bottle label in one, intact, piece. 

 

Jack reached out and grabbed the bottle, setting it on the table between them. "Look at me, Mac. There's something I want to say to you that I should have said long ago."

 

That got MacGyver's full attention. "What is it? You're not dying or something, are you?" That very thought sent him into a full-blown panic. He wasn't one to lose his cool in any given situation, but the thought of losing Jack was the one thing he could not deal with. He'd lost too many people in his life already.

 

"No...no no!" Jack was quick to reassure him, patting Mac on the shoulder. "Nothing like that. It has to do with your dad. Well...sort of."

 

"I'm not sure I follow." Leaning back in his chair, MacGyver pressed a hand to his chest, willing his heart to steady as relief washed over him, only to be replaced by confusion.

 

Jack got up and began to pace, one hand rubbing over his head and reminding him about how that computer geek had made fun of his hair. But now he was getting off track. "Even though I never said it out loud, not even to myself, from what you've heard the past few days I'm sure you've realized that in regards to Riley, and being with her mom when she was a kid, that I wanted her to be able to come to me with anything. I wanted her to know I'd support her and be there for her. Like a..." He broke off, uncertain.

 

But Mac finished his sentence for him. "...like a dad."

 

"Yeah." Dropping back down into his chair, Jack locked eyes with his young friend. "You know, you and Riley are the same age and I'm going to be totally honest with you, Mac. I know that we're partners and friends and I'm the 'big bro' and all, and I'm down with that."

 

"Down with that?" Mac mocked. He totally couldn't help himself.

 

Jack shook a fist at him. "Knock it off, I'm being serious here." At Mac's nod of assent, he continued. You know, when we first met...I didn't know what to make of you. You are the smartest person I know, the smartest person in the room...always. But that first day, you looked like you were skipping school. Hell, you still look like a high-school senior half the time." Because of his finely honed reflexes, Jack was able to dodge the candy cane Mac lobbed at him.

 

Without missing a beat, Jack continued. "My first instinct was to protect you. Not because it was my job but because it was obvious you needed protecting." He paused, chuckling. "Of course it turned out you could totally take care of yourself when push came to shove, so I amended my viewpoint and then it was all about getting to know you and realizing how self-sufficient you were in all ways. But the one thing you didn't have, that I could offer, was the wisdom that comes only with age and experience."

 

"You have never been shy about imparting your wisdom," MacGyver acknowledged, but with fondness. Jack always seemed to get when Mac needed space, or a pat on the back, and even a kick in the pants at times.

 

"Very true," Jack confirmed. "But I was shy about how I did it. I always made sure to be *big bro Jack* or, on occasion *Uncle Jack*. 

 

Mac felt the need to interrupt him, because instead of understanding what was going on, he was getting more confused by the minute. "Where, exactly, are you going with all this?"

 

Jack exhaled slowly, realizing he was taking his sweet time getting to the point. It was time to be blunt. "Given who I am and what I do, and what I do does define who I am, I am never going to have a traditional family. But I had the next best thing with Riley and her mom. Until I walked away from it. Then I met you and you became my family." Jack leaned in, focusing all his attention on Mac and willing him to understand, and accept, what he was trying to say. 

 

"I think of you and Riley as my kids. The kids I thought I would never get to have." He felt his eyes well up and he blinked rapidly, one hand brushing at his eyes. "You already have a dad, I know that, and that's why I tread carefully when I give you advice. He hurt you when he walked out of your life, and I know that your Grandfather was there to pick up the pieces for a time. But a boy needs his dad. Hell, I still need my dad and every day I wish he was still here, so I could hug him and tell him how much I miss him and love him."

 

"Jack..." MacGyver felt his own eyes filling up and he jumped to his feet, feeling too overwhelmed to deal with this right now. It was like Jack had tapped into his core and was breaking down all the walls he had spent so much time building up.

 

Jack knew the kid tended to run when confronted with too many emotions at once, but he wasn't going to let him walk away from this one. So he did the one thing he knew would stop Mac in his tracks. He hugged him. He felt the the slender body stiffen for a moment, but then MacGyver was hugging him back and and Jack didn't give a damn when he felt a tear slide down his face.

 

It was MacGyver who pulled away first, brushing away his own tears before dropping back down in his chair and chugging the rest of his beer. Once he had himself somewhat under control, he gestured for Jack to sit too, then he cleared his throat and began to speak. "All those times when you scold me, or make me deal with things I don't want to deal with...I always think to myself - that's what a dad would do for his grown-up son. Offer advice, be firm but still let him make his own mistakes. At the same time a Dad would stop his son from doing really stupid things, and push him when he was being obstinate. He's also always available to listen and offer terrible advice." Mac looked at Jack, who had a wobbly smile on his face and found the courage to continue. "Mostly a dad...he's just always there, whether you want him to be or not. Always there to keep you safe." MacGyver broke off when another tear slid down his face, hastily scrubbing it away with his shirt sleeve.

 

"Yeah...that's what dad's do," Jack confirmed, brushing at his own eyes with the back of one hand. "I don't want this to change things between us, Mac, or make it awkward. I just wanted you to know that you can come to me...any time, for any reason, and I will always be here for you."

 

"I already knew that," MacGyver replied, swiping at his eyes again. Damn the waterworks that seemed to have sprung a leak. "But, thanks. You just gave me the best Christmas present ever." He meant it.

 

Jack grinned and slung an arm around the kid's shoulder, giving him an official 'bro' hug this time. "I don't know if it can compete with my Dallas Cowboy's snuggie though."

 

Mac pulled away from Jack, heading into the kitchen. "Be right back." With everything that had happened in the past few days, and the whirlwind of the last few hours, he had almost forgotten. He rummaged in one of the cupboards then headed back out to the fire pit. "Here, this is your real present," Mac said, holding out an envelope with a red bow on it.

 

"What is it?" Jack stared at it in surprise, then he shook it even though he knew it wasn't going to rattle. 

 

"Open it." Mac felt himself grinning from ear to ear.

 

Jack wasted no time in tearing it open only to stare at the contents in disbelief. "Dude, these are Superbowl tickets. Club seats not less. Do you know how expensive they are? Not to mention pretty much impossible to get."

 

Mac shrugged. "I kinda know, since I got them." He had lucked out because he happened to know someone who knows someone and, to be honest, this particular gift had been almost two years in the planning. "Soooo...you like them?"

 

"WOOOO! Boy howdy, do I!" Jack whooped as he waved the tickets in the air. He then grabbed Mac in a bear hug and lifted him right off his feet. Setting MacGyver back down he said, in typical Jack fashion, "Dude...we have so got to put some meat on them bones."

 

"Maybe you could lend me some of yours, old man," Mac teased, patting Jack on the stomach. "How many of Bozer's Christmas sugar cookies did you have?" It felt good to fall back into their banter, it was familiar. At the same time it didn't take away from the warmth and security of knowing how Jack really felt about them.

 

Jack caught the kid in a mock choke hold, hauling him into the kitchen. "Speaking of cookies, I think it's time to demolish a few more." He smiled seeing how happy Mac looked in this moment. More than that, he felt a warm contentment that the kid was okay with all of the changes happening in their crazy lives. Cracking open the fridge, he by passed the beer for a carton of milk. 

 

MacGyver watched as Jack poured two glasses of milk, emptying the carton, before bringing them over and setting them on the counter, next to the platter of sugar cookies. "Milk and cookies? Really?"

 

"Really." Jack took a cookie and dunked it in the milk before taking a bite. "It's the little things, Mac. Always the little things that bring the most pleasure." He took another bite and moaned with delight, before waving at Mac. "Make this old man happy and try it."

 

"I have had milk and cookies before, Jack," MacGyver drawled, even as he took a Christmas tree shaped cookie with green frosting and dunked it. It did taste good. And it felt good to sit in companionable silence as they polished off at least a dozen cookies between them. "Hey, Jack..." Mac began, as he took his empty glass to the sink and rinsed it.

 

Jack frowned but said, "Hey what?" He could tell that whatever had been weighing on the kid earlier was back again. 

 

MacGyver cleared his throat because he really needed to talk to Jack about the *trust* thing. The secret Mac was keeping could destroy everything they had built between them, but he wasn't ready to share it. Not yet. Whatever Nikki was planning, MacGyver was not going to let his friends be hurt. So he had to gather all the data he could before drawing a conclusion and sharing it. That said, there was something he needed to know. "You trust me, right?"

 

"Of course I do," Jack replied, without hesitation. "What's this all about?"

 

"I...I need you to trust me," MacGyver blurted out, stumbling a bit over his words. Unable to clarify what he meant.

 

Jack frowned, wondering what the hell was going on. "I just told you...I trust you. Listen, bud, whatever it is that's dragging you down right now...let it go. Okay?" He could see that it wasn't going to be that easy. "I'm guessing it has something to do with Nikki?" Seeing Mac's astonished expression, he chuckled. "I know you, kid. For some reason you keep forgetting that. When the time is right for you to tell me, you'll tell me. And I'll be here to listen. Okay?"

 

Mac felt relief wash over him, strong enough to make him feel dizzy. He regained his composure and asked, "So what do you want to do now?" He figured Jack would want to have a Die Hard Marathon, because he insisted that the first one totally qualified as a Christmas movie.

 

"Christmas carol karaoke," Jack replied, smirking.

 

"What?" Mac was blindsided by that one, without a doubt. He narrowed his gaze at Jack, growing suspicious. "There's no such thing," he stated.

 

Jack grabbed MacGyver by the arm and dragged him to the door. "There so is. You're going to love it."

 

Mac pulled the door shut behind him. "I'm not singing," he warned.

 

"Yes, you are," Jack sing-songed.

 

"Not happening." Mac stopped at the car, refusing to get in. No way in hell was he going to get up in front of strangers and sing Christmas carols.

 

Jack opened the door and pushed Mac into the passenger seat. "We'll discuss it on the way." He started singing 'Deck the Halls' at the top of his lungs as he slid behind the wheel.

 

Mac smiled to himself, despite wishing Jack had a volume control button. The things we do for family, he thought. He was surprisingly okay with that.

 

THE END


End file.
